Conveyer



June 13, 1933. J. HIRSHFELD 1,913,388

CONVEYER Filed March 25, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l F Z. 65 Z 69 7/ IHHMWI INVENTOR c/fPa/w' fizzy/F 7 Patented Jun 13, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Jnnomn nmsnrnrm, on NEW 1031:, y nssreNoia T rnLnvAToR oonromrrroN, or

NEW YORK, N.Y., A CORPORATION 01* NEW YORK comm My present invention relates generally to it a conveyer shaft or well-defining structure frointhebuilding,

can function in connection with the build-" adaptable for-installation in a building as a single independent unit and co-ordinately relates to a unit or assembly comprising a carrier well or shaft defining structure and a carrier apparatus contained and supported therein in operative association therewith for transportation, as a unit. a r

Where it is desired to construct or install an enclosed dumb-waiter or carrier apparatus particularly in an already completed building, a great deal of construction work is generally involved, necessitating the employment of special labor,:-the selection of parts "and materials for the construction of the shaft ,in which the carrier is to be received, the assembly of parts to form the installation, and removal carrler and its operating mechanism, and the installation thereof in the well so provided. Furthermore, where such a construction is installed, it becomes infact a fixed part of the building with which it is associated so that neither the dimensions of the dumb-waiter shaft nor its position can be changed or varied withoutrequiring demolition and construction work in connection with the building, and knocking down of the carrier and reassembling of theparts.

It is an object of myinvention'to provide a carrier enclosing shaft defining construction which can be transported and installed in a building as aunit separaterandrapart and which when installed ing as if it were originally installed therein as a structural part thereof, but which nev ertheless readilypermits of its being shifted from one part of the building to another or ofits complete removal as a unit andwitlr, out requiring any demolition of said unit or of any part of the building. V

Another object of my present invention A is the pIOVlSlOILOf a portable enclosure to serve for defining a shaft or well for receiving a dumb-waiter or carrier and which enclosure can be transported as a unit for purposes of installation in building, and which enclosurecan be ,SddimensiOned for Application filed March 25,

1930. Serial No. 438,729.

purpose of transportation and preliminary installation as tobe receivable between a floor and the ceiling immediately above, and which when so received on the floor can then be extended upwardly through an opening in the ceiling so as to provide a well or shaft reaching from one floor to a floor 0r floors thereabove.

,Another object of my invention is a proa vision of ,an assembly independent of a building which comprises a wellor shaftenclosure fora carrier, of carrier apparatus so associated therewith as to form therewith a single unit for purpose of transportation, installation, and use.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a portable assembly unit comprising a carrier apparatus shaft defining enclosure, and a carrier apparatus received therein and supported therefrom for carrier operation,

closure can be lengthened or shortened without disassociating or affecting the relationship of theshaft defining enclosure and the carrier apparatus which it receives within it and which it supports for operation.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a conveyer and a conveyer forming unit assembly in which the shaft enclosure for the carrier or conveyer may be so dimensioned for purpose of transporta- 1 tion as to be receivable between the floor and therein for carrier operation, all as one unit for transportation and installation and carrier operation purposes; r i L In the embodiment of myinvention-herein m wherein the shaft defining enshaft disclosed, I have illustrated my shaft defining structure as made up of a plurality of telescoping sections so as to permlt of the collapsing of the sections. For convenience in handling, during storage, transportation and installation, the sections are held collapsed, and for purpose of carrier operation the sections are held extended.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide with the telescoping shaft or well defining sections and as part of the assembly, mechanism whereby the well forming sections can be collapsed and telescope'd at will. I v 7 It is another object of my invention to provide in a portable unit comprising a self contained shaft and carrier parts as element of the unit, operating mechanism for the carrier parts so located and positioned as to most advantageously effectuate the purpose and functions of the assembly as a readily transportable and installable unit.

In the embodiment of my, invention illustrated in the drawings and disclosed herein, the carrier mechanism received within the well-forming casing is in'the form of opposed endless conveyers, each driven by spaced sprockets. The opposed conveyors carry tray-rack sections in such relationship as to permit trays to be positioned thereon and conveyed thereby.

Another object of my invention is the provision in a unit assembly for installation in a building as a unit and which comprises relatively movable sections defining a well or shaft for receiving and supporting conveyer mechanism for conveyer operation, of sup ports for endless conveyers said supports being so arranged and associated with the sections that when the sections are moved into their extended relation, the supports will assume their positionfor proper conveyer operation.

It is another object of my invention to provide in a unit assembly for installation in a building as a unit and which comprises relatively movable sections defining a well or shaft for receiving and supporting conveyer mechanism for conveyer operation, of endless conveyer supports and endless conveyer operating mechanism, all so arranged and associated with the sections to form part-of the unit assembly, that when the sections are caused to assume their extended relation, the conveyer supports and the conveyer operating mechanisms will'be caused to assume their positions for proper conveyer supporting and conveyer operating purposes.

It is the general object of my present invention to provide as a unit assembled independently of, and for installation in a builda carrier andanenclosure therefor, so that the installation of the carrier in a building requires nothing more than thetrans portation of the unit to its position in the building and the location and the fixing of this unit in such a position.

While reference is frequently made to the fact that my invention is particularly useful in connection with buildings already completed, it will be understood, of course, that it will serve useful functions in connection with buildings in process of construction, and that in the latter event my unit assembly on one hand will give the appearance of being a part of the building construction and on the other hand will be shiftable therefrom and removable therein as a unit without in anyway affecting or impair ing or requiring any change in the building construction.

For the attainment of these objects and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have. illustrated in the drawings one embodiment of my invention wherein Figure l is an elevational view of an embodiment showing an enclosure for a carrier in operative position in a building.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale taken on line 22, Fig. 1.

Figure 8 is an enlarged elevation taken on line 3-3, Fig. 2 and showing the manner in which the tray supports are connected to a conveyer chain.

Figure 4 is a section on line %4, Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a plan View looking down through the open top of Fig. 8.

Figure 6 is a sectional plan taken on line 6-6, Fig. 8.

igure 7 is a sectional elevation taken on line 7-7, Fig. 5, and

Figure 8 is a sectional elevation taken on line 8-8, Fig. 6.

Before proceeding to describe my invention in detail, I will premise that I have illustrated in the drawings a transportable unit which comprises; (1) a casing or well to enclose a carrier or conveyer and which is-made'up of telescoping sections so that the conveyer shaft or well can be collapsed for transportation and installation purposes and can be extended for carrier operation purposes; (2) mechanism within and forming part of said unit for extending and collapsing the shaft or well; (3) tray carrier mechanism associated with the shaft as part of the unit; and l) motor-mechanism for operating the carrier mechanism parts.

. In Figure 1 of the drawings, I have illustrated a carrier shaft or well definingstructure, in accordance with my invention, installed on the floor A of a building and extending upwards through an opening in the ceiling thereabove so as to provide a shaft for carrier service operation between the floors A and C. This shaft or well is illustrated as made up of telescoping parts, the inner part being movable in and out of ing includes a front wall 10, a rear wall 11 andside walls 12 and 13. The corners of these walls are fitted with angles 14, 15, 16 and 17. The inner member of the casing comprises a front wall 18,a rear wall 19 and side walls 20 and 21. On the interior ofthe corners of these wallsof the inner casing are fitted the angles 22, 23, 24 and 25. These angles are adapted to coact with the angles 14 to 17 inclusive to form guideways by and upon which the inner casing moves relacasing. Also as illuswith a top or cover as indicated at 26.

In order that the shaft of Figure 1 may perform its functions in connection with the carrier parts contained therein as willbe more fully set forth later on, the sections are provided with openings giving access to the interior of the shaft. These openings are closed by doors 98 and 99. These openings are positioned at such height as may be found most convenient to the operators.

The portable unit of Figure lhas associated therewith as a unitarypart of the wellassembly, suitableapparatus for con veniently raising and lowering the nested upper section of the casing and for maintaining this: section in raised position. I have found that the location of this appara tus in the space-between the bottom of the door 98 and the lower end of the shaft serves advantageously from a number i of standpoints. I will now describe this apparatus. a c

a At the lower end of the outer casingthere is suitably fixed a floor or transversewall 27. This, as illustrated maybe secured in position by means of suitable brackets28, Extending through the said walls of the outer casing and beneath the floor 27, there isa shaft 29. This shaft 29 is mounted in suitable bearings and has a drum30 thereon. Exteriorly of the walls of the casing, the shaft 29 is fitted with a ratchet 31. Coacting with this ratchet is a suitable pawl (not shown) to permit the shaft to be turned in one direction andto preventthe shaft from turning in the opposite direction when the pawl is in engagement with the ratchet. Suitably mounted in the space below the floor 27' and beneath, the shaft 29 there is a channel member 32. This channel member 32 carries a series of pulleys indicated at 33, 34, 35 and 36. At'one end a rope or cable 37 is secured to the drum 3() andis caused to pass over the pulleys33 and 34 and through an opening provided for this purpose-in the floor 27 and over a pulley 39 mounted adjacentthe upper end oftheside wall 13, with the opposite end of the rope 37 suitably connected to a pin 40 suitably secured adjacent the lower end of the wall 21 of the inner casing. In a like manner a rope or cable 38 at one end is secured to the drum 30 and passes over the pulleys 35 and 36 through an opening provided therefor in the floor 27 and over a pulley 39 mounted on the wall 12, the opposite end of this rope being suitably connected to the wall 20. Aspring ring clutch device 41 is mounted on a bracket 42 secured to the channel 32 and is associated with the shaft 29 and the drum 30 in such a manner as to prevent the shaft from turning in one direction except when the spring ring clutch is released. It will now be readily understood that by turning the shaft in the proper direction the ropes or cables 37 and 38 may be wound on the drum 30 to elevate or extend or move the inner casing to its extended position outside of the outer casing and to maintain the parts in this position. In order to relieve the strain which would otherwise be placed on the parts hereinbefore described for maintaining the inner casing in this position I may employ a series of bolts as indicated at 43 and 44 passing through openings provided therefor in the Walls of the inner and outer casings to maintain these parts in place. A

The portable unit thus far described is normally incollapsed or telescoped condition for. purposes of storage, transportation, and installation purposes, and its overall height when telescoped is such that it can be received between a floor and the ceiling thereabove. When it is to be installed, it is moved into position on a fioor and be neath an opening in the ceiling and by the mechanism already described theinner section can be extended through the opening in the ceiling to cause the carrier casing or well to assume its final position for carrier operation as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, with the access openings on each door tor 45which as illustrated has a fixed position on the floor 27. The shaft 46 of the motor is connected by a suitable worm gear or otherwise to a counter shaft 47. The counter shaft 47 is suitably mounted in bearings and carries a gear 48 and a sprocket 49. The gear 48 meshes with a gear 50 mounted on a shaft 51. Theshaft 51 is journalled in suitable bearings supported on brackets 52 and 53. Also mounted on the shaft 51 there are sprockets 54 and 55.

A chain 56 passes over the sprocketv49 and also over the sprocket 57 mounted onfa shaft 58. The shaft 58 is journalled in suitable "bearings mounted on support brackets 59 and 60 and this shaft 58 is fitted with sprockets 61 and 62.

In the inner casing and adjacent the upper or outer end thereof there are support rails 63 and 64. The support rail 63 is connected to corner brackets 65 and 66 by means of adjusting bolts 67 and 68. In like manner the support rail 64 is connected to corner brackets 69 and 70 by means of adjusting bolts 71 and 72 whereby as will be understood the support rail 64 is adjustable to position. A shaft 73 is journalled in bearings 74 and 75 mounted respectively on the support rails 63 and 64. On the shaft 73 there are sprockets 76 and 77. The shaft 73 is located immediately above the shaft 51 and the sprocket 76 is in alignment with the sprocket 54 while the sprocket 77 is in ali nment with the sprocket 55. 7

6n the opposite side of the apparatus a shaft 78 is journalled in suitable bearings 79 and 80 connected respectively to the support rails 63 and 64. Mounted on the shaft 78 there are sprockets 81 and 82. The shaft 78 is directly above the shaft 58 and the sprocket 81 is in alignment with the sprocket 61 while the sprocket 82 is in alignment with the sprocket 62. A conveyer chain 83 passes over the sprockets 76 and 54. A conveyer chain 84 passes over the sprockets 77 and 55. A conveyer chain 85 passes over sprockets 81 and 61 and a conveyer chain 86 passes over the sprockets 82 and 62.

Connected to the conveyer chains 83 and 84 in suitably spaced positions there is a series of tray racks 87. Similarly connected to the conveyer chains 85 and 86 there is a corresponding series of tray racks 88. These tray racks 87 and 88 are placed in corre sponding positions on the conveyer chains so that there is a tray rack on one set of conveyer chains that is complementary to a tray rack on the other set of conveyer chains. The complementary tray racks as will be understood are adapted to receive a tray or other receptacle upon which food, or other articles may be raised or lowered depending upon the direction of the travel of the endless conveyer chains. Each of the tray racks is preferably made with a bottom or base, a side wall, and an end wall at the rear, the forward or front end of each tray rack being open so that the trays may be placed thereon and made to slide to the proper or desired position. The tray racks as will be understood may be connected to the conveyer chains in any desired manner, for example, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4- the side wall of each tray rack may have brackets 89 connected thereto by rivets 90 and each bracket 89 may alsobe connected to a pin 91 which connects adjacent links of one of the conveyer chains. This construction obviouslyis merely illustrative as or otherwise,

the tray racks may be connected to the conveyer chains in any desired manner.

. The apparatus also includes a starting box 92 associated with the motor and connected in the usual way by leads 94 and 95. In an operating boX 93 there is a series of push buttons for closing circuits to operate the motor in either direction and also to stop the motor. Obviously when the motor is driven in one direction, the conveyer chains will travel in one direction and when the motor is turned in the other direction, the conveyer chains will likewise travel in the opposite direction, It will also be obvious that the sets of endless conveyer-s are so designed as to travel in unison whether moving in one direction or the other.

In Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 8 of the drawings, I have illustrated the use of a member 96 at the bottom of the chute and also the employment of a member 97 at the top of the chute. Each of these members is arranged in the path of travel of the trays, one in the path of the upward travel of the trays and the other in the downward path of travel of the trays. Both of these members are positioned beyond the point at which the trays are intended to be conveyed. The members 96 and 97 are both intended to represent controls for limit switches, the details of which it has been deemed unnecessary to illustrate. It will suflice merely to state that if a tray is being conveyed upwardly and passes by the door 99 without being removed, it will contact with the limit switch 97, move this switch and stop the mechanism. The same operation applies to the limit switch 96 at the bottom when the tray moves in the reverse direction.

The doors 98 and 99 may be operated in the usual or any desired manner and, of course, when open, provide access to the endless conveyers whereby the trays, one of which is indicated at 100, may be readily placed thereon and removed therefrom and which, by the operation of the endless conveyors, may be either raised or lowered at the convenience of the operator. The tray racks 87, as shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6 of the drawings, are made up of a bottom 101, a side wall 102, and one end wall 103, the other end being open. The corresponding opposed tray racks 87 and 88 are so positioned as to provide between them a seat for the tray with the end walls 102 serving to hold the tray against lateral shifting, the rear end walls 103 to prevent. the tray moving off the racks rearwardl and the ends adjacent the openings in the casing or shaft unobstructed so as to permit the convenient removal of the tray, either manually or automatically.

It will be understood that the platform 27 is positioned well below the bottom of the opening closed by the door 98 so as to prothis manner the overall height of the shaft or well is reduced to a minimum. Furthermore, the location of the operating mechanism at the bottom is of considerable advantage in connection with the portability of a unit such as herein disclosed.

The chains 56, 83, 84,85 and 86, which are rather heavy, need not necessarily be assembled with the unit until the unit has been moved into the building and into its position ready for having its telescopic sections extended as already set forth. It will be understood, of course, that the driving motor, the sprockets, the gears and the other mechanism for supporting and driving sprocket chains are carried from the sections as already set forth and that when the sections are moved relatively to the position of Fig.

1, all these parts will assume their position for conveyer supporting and conveyer operating purposes. The chains canbe put on either prior to this extension of the easing or after the casing has been extended.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-- 1. In a portable, conveyer-well-defining structure for association with and for posit-ioning to extend through aligned openings through the superposed floors of a building, consisting of a plurality of separable, tubular sections united to form a continuous, well-defining structure, each of the sections being of a suflicient length to extend from one floor to the next floor of the building, each of the sections havingopenings each providing access at an individual floor to which that section is extended, the end sections of the well-defining structure carrying shafting positioned wholly within the structure, the shafting of each such section being located beyond the opening in that section in which it is located to permit unrestricted access to that opening, conveyer members carried by and driven from the shafting, and a motor housed within the lowermost section, the motor being located below the shafting in that section and having a direct drive connection thereto.

tended relationship, the sections, when extended, forming a continuous, well-defining structure, means for uniting the sections in extended relation, each of said sections being of a suificient length to extend from one floor to the next floor of the building, each of the sections having openings each providing an access at an individual floor to which that section is extended, each of the end sections of the well-defining structure carrying shafting positioned wholly within the structure, the shafting in each such section being located beyond the opening in that section in which it is located to permit.

unrestricted access to that opening, con- Veyer members carried by and driven from the shafting, and a motor housed within the lowermost section, the motor being located below the shafting in that section and having a direct drive connection thereto housed entirely below the last mentioned opening.

3. A carrier-apparatus unit comprising an outer casing, an inner casing adapted to fit within the .outer casing and to be extended therefrom, the casings, in extended relation, being constructed for association with and for positioning to extend through aligned openings through the superposed floors of a building, each of the casings hav ing openings each providing access to an individual floor to which that casing is ex tended, sets of shafts and sprockets mounted adjacent the lower end of the outer casing that casing, support rails ad ustabIe to position adjacent the upper end of the inner casing and above the access-providing opening into that casing, sets of shafts and sprockets carried by the said support rails, conveyer chains passing over the said set of sprockets, tray supports connected in cor-, responding positions to the said sets of chains for the reception of trays for raising and lowering the same, devices for actuating the said set of shafts and sprockets and the conveyer chains carried thereby, said devices being housed entirely within the unit and within the outer casing, and a tripper device located adjacent the lower ends of the said conveyer chains for engaging successive trays on the tray racks to shift the same when the trays reach the lower end of their travel.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 24th day of March, 1930.

JEROME HIBSHFELD.

2. Ina portable, oonveyer-well defining structure for association with and for positioning to extend through aligned openings through the superposed floors of a building, consisting of a lar sections, the sections being formed for telescoping movement into collapsed and ex- .plurality of separable, tubu- 

